Latest news with #Choo
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Bike-sharing company HelloRide to expand S'pore fleet to 20,000, roll out bikes with added features
HelloRide's fleet expansion will help it remain competitive amid the Government's plans to push for more walk-cycle-ride commutes. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Bike-sharing company HelloRide to expand S'pore fleet to 20,000, roll out bikes with added features SINGAPORE – Chinese bicycle-sharing company HelloRide has been given the go-ahead to expand its bike fleet to 20,000 – up from 15,000 – starting July 1, and it plans to roll out two-wheelers with added features such as phone holders, better pedals and seats. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has approved the company's application to renew its licence to operate a fleet of up to 20,000 for one year until June 30, 2026, said an LTA spokesperson on July 1. LTA said that its considerations for granting HelloRide's new licence include the operator's plans to manage indiscriminate parking and its record for doing so, as well as efforts to educate users on proper parking behaviour. It added that it takes into account the total shared bicycle population in Singapore, demand for bicycle sharing services and availability of parking infrastructure when evaluating applications for fleet expansions. 'We will continue to closely monitor the supply and demand of the deployed fleets, while ensuring all operators continue to manage dis-amenities,' said an LTA spokesperson. The expansion will help HelloRide remain competitive amid the Government's plans to push for more walk, cycle, ride commutes and the opening of more bicycle paths, said HelloRide general manager Hayden Choo. 'Walk, cycle, ride' is the Government's vision of sustainable transport, focusing on walking, cycling and public transport as the main modes of travel. The fleet expansion comes after HelloRide increased its fleet to 10,000 shared bicycles in July 2023 from the 1,000 bikes it had when it started in 2022, with an add-on of 5,000 in October 2024. HelloRide also operates in Australia, New Zealand and, recently, in Hong Kong. The new fleet of HelloRide commuter bikes, which has been tested in China, will come with centre-mounted phone holders and improved seat adjustability to accommodate different rider heights. 'These were the two most requested features from users, and we believe they'll be a clear differentiator compared with Anywheel,' said Mr Choo. Anywheel, which was founded locally, is the other bicycle-sharing operator in Singapore. Mr Choo said HelloRide is also in the process of refreshing its existing bicycle fleet with new commuter bikes. The total shared-bike fleet allowed on the streets here has expanded to 55,000 under LTA's bicycle-share licensing framework, said LTA. This is up from 50,000 before the expansion. All bike-sharing operators in Singapore require a full licence under LTA to operate here. HelloRide, which is owned by Chinese conglomerate Alibaba's fintech affiliate Ant Group, was given a 'sandbox' licence in 2022 when it set up shop here to operate a fleet of up to 1,000, and had to apply for a full licence when it increased its fleet. Mr Choo added that the firm will deploy the new bikes at various hot spots in Singapore to cater to casual lifestyle riders and those who use them to commute. Its shared bikes are now deployed at East Coast Park, Marina Bay Sands, National Stadium, parks along the Kallang River, and a few other districts including Little India, Bugis and Boon Keng. HelloRide has the second-largest fleet here after market leader Anywheel, which currently operates a fleet of 35,000 , after operator SG Bike pulled out of the market in April 2024 . Anywheel's chief executive Htay Aung said Anywheel now serves two million users in Singapore, since its launch in 2017, and has seen a five-digit growth of new users month on month. 'We still see a lot of potential in Singapore based on current data,' said Mr Htay Aung. The operator has expanded its fleet several times since its start here, including its first expansion to 10,000 bikes from 1,000 after graduating from its sandbox licence in 2018 and doubling its fleet from 15,000 to 30,000 in 2022. Anywheel's focus now is on rolling out its new generation of bikes in August to renew its bike fleet, after a test batch of about 1,000 bikes deployed on the streets here since February, said Mr Htay Aung. The operator also hopes to apply for a new licence to raise its maximum fleet size after the roll-out, but plans are contingent on data and whether there is a strong demand, he added. 'Any competitor, including HelloRide, as long as they play fairly, I think they should be welcomed to Singapore. It's good for the market and good for us,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Vancouver Sun
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
'Big Game' Hunter Lee chasing MMA Ultimate Fighting Championship dream
Hunter Lee has a new nickname. Taking on larger opponents in the mixed martial arts arena will do that. 'Ever since the last one — the guy was way bigger than me — people have been calling me the 'Big-Game Hunter,'' says Lee, the former University of Saskatchewan Huskies wrestling standout-turned MMA fighter. 'I think that's going to be my nickname from now on.' 'Big Game Hunter Lee' has a license to thrill in the octagon cage. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Lee has signed up to take on American Chris Choo for his next match, slated for July 19 in Tampa, Fla., where Lee hopes to improve his professional record to 4-and-0 while Choo tests his 4-2-0 pro record. It's a light-heavyweight class (195 pounds), although the 5-foot-11 Lee, as a wrestler and not MMA fighter, had last competed in the 86-kilogram (189-pound) class. He sees his eventual MMA weight class in the 170 to 175-pound range. Choo, who stands 6-foot-1, will have the advantage in height and reach. The 25-year-old Lee — a former U Sports national champion and junior world bronze medalist on the wrestling mat — has had trouble finding MMA opponents matching his true weight category. 'I literally haven't had to cut weight for any of my fights,' he points out. 'My last two fights, and possibly this fight coming up, I have no weight-cutting. It's just stepping on the scale for what I naturally weigh and fighting the bigger guys.' That's been a world of difference from his days as a competitive international freestyle wrestler. Those athletes are known to dehydrate themselves, sometimes drastically, to meet a certain weight class. 'It is (quite different), for sure,' admits Lee, a native of Flin Flon who calls Saskatoon home. 'So my real weight class, once I'll be fighting for a title shot, would be 170 or 175, somewhere around there, and all my fights have been around 195-205. I'm giving up 30-35 pounds to where I'd like to be.' Lee would like to be hunting in the UFC Octagon eventually. He's looking at a few different potential pathways. A main entry point to the Ultimate Fighting Championship is the UFC Contender Series. To get there, an up-and-comer like Lee would likely have to get scouted and noticed while competing in the so-called feeder leagues and promotional cards at the regional level, where fights are shown on the UFC streaming sites. 'I'm fighting in those ones and, if you can rack up some wins, get a title shot — like, win a title on one of those promotions, that's how the UFC takes notice,' Lee explains. There's also the Ultimate Fighter reality TV show, which had been the classic way to get into the UFC house. But he says the Contender Series 'is the main way to get it.' UFC CEO Dana White and his staff are on hand to watch matches in the UFC performance studio with no fans and only the prospects and coaches. 'Even if you win, you're not guaranteed a spot,' explains Lee. 'You have to impress them with the win, as well. If they like what they see, they'll add you into the UFC.' A third way you get into the UFC, adds Lee, is if you rack up enough wins on the regional scene and you're doing well enough, sometimes they'll pull you right into the UFC without making you go on the Contender Series. 'Any of those ways to get it, I'd be happy at this point,' admits Lee. 'They start looking at guys around 5-and-0. So I'm 3-and-0 right now. If we can get two more wins in, within this year, then I could be looking at that (UFC opportunity) by early next year. ' Lee hopes for a title shot with Unified MMA in the fall. 'That's the plan: Get one more win, get the title in Unified (MMA promotion series) and then we're 5-and-0 with the title in the feeder leagues.' OLYMPIC WRESTLING DREAM ON HOLD Meanwhile, Lee hasn't totally given up on his Olympic wrestling dream. He last competed in 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, where he won bronze in the 86-kg freestyle event. He says he's 'mostly done' with wrestling, but he's keeping that door open a wee bit. He still does some wrestling training for MMA with former Huskie and current Team Canada wrestler Andrew Johnston. 'I could see myself coming back for the 2028 (Los Angeles) Olympics, if it looked like it was something I could win,' Lee says. 'But, if we have really good guys from Canada in my weight class, then I'm not even going to try. After that one, I will for sure be done. 'I won't do it any further than (2028) but I'm keeping that door open just a little bit, because I still could make a run for it if it looks like it's something I could do. It would be nice to be able to say that 'I was an Olympian.' ' The end goal, however, is the UFC. 'The end goal,' Lee is quick to correct, 'is actually UFC champion .' For that, Lee plans to be patient. 'A lot of guys, their goal is to just get their foot in the door (at the UFC level), so it's like, 'I got a fight' but then they've lost all their fights and got cut. If I had to choose, I would rather look at the big picture of things, even if it takes me longer in the UFC, but I could actually get in there and make a run for a title. That's what I'd rather do rather than just be like, 'I want my one fight.' ' After all, there is plenty of big game left to hunt. dzary@ The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
Pink Villa
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
The Trauma Code star Choo Young Woo reveals extreme diet plan: Here's how he dropped 22 kgs before debut
On a recent episode of You Quiz on the Block, actor Choo Young Woo left viewers stunned with a raw and emotional look into his past. The actor revealed that his road to becoming a performer was anything but smooth. Behind the smiles and screen lies a journey defined by starvation, self-doubt, and ambition. During the interview, Choo Young Woo opened up about how far he went to chase his dream of performing on stage. He shared that he went an entire year surviving on nothing but a single pack of nuts a day. His goal? To lose enough weight to stand confidently in front of a camera and be taken seriously in the entertainment industry. From 86 kg to 64 kg Before pursuing acting seriously, Choo weighed around 86 kilograms. Determined to completely reshape himself, he adopted a radical diet. His entire daily intake consisted of a small packet of nuts. In his words, 'At that time, I really wanted to be on the stage. I endured on a pack of nuts a day.' He attributed the extreme diet to his deep desperation to stand on stage. This drastic regimen brought him down to 64 kilograms, representing a total loss of 22 kilograms. The day he almost gave up Choo Young Woo also recalled a key moment when his confidence shattered: attending a hagwon, or cram school, for aspiring performers. There, he encountered fellow students who poured every ounce of energy into acting and singing with fierce intensity. Watching them made him question whether he belonged. 'I was shocked when I went to Hagwon. Everyone acted with red eyes and sang so loudly that the ground shook, and I thought I was in big trouble,' he recalled. He remembered feeling completely overwhelmed, to the point where he cried that day. He couldn't sing, he couldn't dance, and he felt as though he lacked any unique skill to compete. It led him to question his entire decision. He wondered, 'Did I make an irresponsible choice?' Practice from dawn to dusk Instead of giving up, Choo chose to dig in deeper. He began training obsessively. He practised from the moment he opened his eyes to when he collapsed into sleep. He studied acting, rehearsed lines, and trained wherever he could - in academies, dance rooms, and even parking lots. Despite surviving on a dangerously low-calorie diet, he refused to slow down. A payoff worth the pain? Eventually, Choo's sacrifices led to acceptance into three prominent Korean universities. This feat validated his hard work and fueled the passion he still carries today. His experience shaped not only his body but also his mindset. Choo's story instantly went viral after the episode aired, igniting conversations online. Many admired his unshakable determination and willingness to suffer for his goals. However, others were deeply concerned by the dangerous methods he used to get there.
AFP
19-06-2025
- Politics
- AFP
S. Korean population and ballot figures used to resurface baseless election fraud claims
"Choo Mi-ae was elected representative in Hanam-A district through voter fraud," declares the Korean-language caption of a graphic shared in a Facebook post on June 16, 2025. Choo, a six-term lawmaker and former justice minister, during the April 2024 general election (archived link). The post, however, questions the legitimacy of the vote. Superimposed text on the graphic reads: "You call this a country? A nation ruled by bandits!" It then lists purported voting figures from the district's Shinjang 1-dong "Total population: 6,950. Number of eligible voters: 6,467. Number of votes cast: 7,179." Image Screenshot of the false Facebook post, captured on June 17, 2025 The same graphic alleging voter fraud in , and has resurfaced since centre-left candidate Lee Jae-myung's resounding victory in South Korea's June 3 presidential election (archived link). "The problem is that the People Power Party chooses to ignore voter fraud, so what is the point of this evidence," read a comment on one of the posts. Another said: "It is evident that Choo Mi-ae's election was fraudulent." Official data from the South Korean government and the country's election watchdog, however, shows the figures used in the graphic are inaccurate. Population and voting data Information from the Ministry of Interior shows the total population of Shinjang 1-dong at the time of the April 2024 general election was 6,902 -- not 6,950 as claimed in the falsely shared graphic (archived link). According to South Korea's National Election Commission (NEC), the number of eligible voters in Shinjang 1-dong during the April 2024 general election was 7,179 -- not 6,467 (archived link). The NEC data also shows 4,719 votes were cast -- not 7,179. "Even if the number of ballots cast had exceeded the population of the neighbourhood, that would not constitute evidence of fraud," an NEC spokesperson told AFP on June 17. South Korea allows voters to cast their ballots outside their district of residence during early voting (archived link). "This means that non-residents can legally vote in a different area from where they reside, causing the number of votes cast in the district to exceed the number of residents," the spokesperson said. This misunderstanding has become a recurring theme in South Korean elections, especially among groups alleging electoral fraud. The NEC issued a statement on June 1 in response to separate allegations of election fraud in Buan County in the North Jeolla province, saying the number of votes corresponds to the total number of electors who cast their votes at ballot stations in the county, "not just those who reside in the area" (archived link). AFP has debunked multiple false claims alleging voter fraud in South Korean elections.
Korea Herald
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
British diplomat to highlight interconnectivity, climate change at TEDx Seoul
British diplomat Gareth Weir will take the stage at TEDxSeoul on June 28 to discuss global interconnectivity, climate change and geopolitics. Speaking with The Korea Herald ahead of the event, Weir, who serves as deputy ambassador at the British Embassy in Seoul, underscored the value of TEDx for dialogue, breaking silos and engaging citizens. 'We've partnered with TEDx a couple of times now,' said Weir. 'We did some work on climate change, including hosting events at the residence. For us, TEDx's motto — 'Ideas worth sharing' — says it all. That's why we engage: to share ideas.' Weir, a career diplomat, sees TEDx as aligning closely with the values of diplomacy. 'Diplomacy is fundamentally about dialogue,' he explained. 'TEDx creates a space for that dialogue in a safe environment. We hope it helps people build bridges and understand different viewpoints.' Underlining Korea's rapid development, Weir acknowledged the country's remarkable achievements but noted that future success hinges on adaptability. 'The miracle on the Han is extraordinary,' he said. 'But the next evolution — navigating climate, technology, global markets — is incredibly complex. Countries that succeed will be those that learn from others, engage widely, and embrace new ideas.' Weir pointed out that TEDx helps societies connect not only within but also across borders. 'It gives Koreans a platform to share their transformation and learn from global experiences. Many people around the world want to learn from Korea — and vice versa,' he said. Weir highlighted the UK Embassy's partnership with TEDx as a way to connect climate action and human rights through meaningful dialogue, emphasizing shared narratives and collaboration on issues like North Korea, energy transition and human rights. In his TEDx talk, titled 'Crossover,' Weir will highlight global interconnectivity and shared responsibility, urging people to act as engaged global citizens. Using everyday examples like smartphones, he will show how deeply interconnected the world is and call for bridge-building instead of polarization. He stresses that diplomacy and TEDx both thrive on ideas that inspire meaningful change. David Choo, curator of TEDxSeoul, described the event as a civic platform that amplifies underrepresented voices — youth, people with disabilities, climate activists and North Korean defectors. Choo highlighted plans with the British Embassy for cross-cultural events in literature, film and environmental storytelling. 'It's about sharing our lives and learning from each other through authentic storytelling,' added Choo. sanjaykumar@
